Players crave stability. The Los Angeles Lakers are offering anything but that. As the Jeanie Buss saga intensifies, LA risks becoming a place free agents hesitate to trust. That alone could hurt the franchise. But there is a far bigger fear looming. Could this turmoil eventually push Luka Doncic, the player meant to define the Lakers’ next era, toward the exit?
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“You better believe there’s teams around the league that are looking at that situation,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon stated about team’s monitoring the Slovenian and LA. “And saying ‘Hey, if this thing goes sideways, we’d sure like to get Luka in the midway through his prime.'”
Three teams are reportedly monitoring Doncic: the Warriors, Nuggets, and Mavericks. And each has enough reasons to pursue him.
Golden State Warriors could view Luka Doncic as the ideal successor to Stephen Curry. At 27, he offers a younger superstar to lead the franchise into its next chapter. His ability to create shots and control the offense would solve key problems. Pairing him with Curry would be even more dangerous. Luka could draw defenders inside, while Curry’s movement and shooting would punish every defensive mistake.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets‘ interest in Luka Doncic makes sense, especially alongside Nikola Jokic. Both could share playmaking duties and create mismatches all game. Their chemistry would make pick-and-rolls especially dangerous.
Luka could ease Jokic’s workload, while Jokic’s passing and scoring would open space for him. Their Serbian connection adds another layer to the speculation. Still, no trade appears close. Jokic also remains committed to Denver for now.
The Dallas Mavericks, now led by Masai Ujiri, could once again become Doncic’s landing spot. Nico Harrison traded him to the Lakers to rebuild the team, and as we witnessed in the 2025-26 season, the plan failed.
Now, given Doncic’s 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds average last season, Luka would be the perfect addition alongside Cooper Flagg. And well, the Texans would be the happiest people to see their star boy come back home.
Recently, NBA analyst Damien Peters shared insights on the significance of the Lakers’ turmoil. Doncic had experienced a shocking trade in 2025 after trusting the Dallas Mavericks leadership. Los Angeles then provided the support he needed to settle in. However, much of that structure has since changed.
Key executives have left, creating uncertainty around the franchise. For a superstar, such instability can raise serious questions about his long-term future. Therefore, the concerns around the Purple and Gold are taking center stage.
Luka Doncic’s decision in the future could reshape the Los Angeles Lakers‘ fate. Well, it is still speculative as of now whether the 27-year-old will step away or not. But if he does, then the Warriors, Nuggets, and Mavericks would be standing in line to receive his services.